,i #aah? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #dagc ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,june #ae1 #bjbc ,mr4 ,la,malfa 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,c>bajal1 ,mr4 ,mill] ( ,ohio1 & ,ms4 ,spanb]g]7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,agriculture ,a ,,bill ,to am5d ! ,agricultural ,rese>*1 ,ext5sion1 & ,education ,re=m ,act ( #aiih to direct ! ,secret>y ( ,agriculture to e/abli% a specialty crop me*anization & automation initiative1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,advanc+ ,automation ,rese>* & ,developm5t 9 ,agriculture ,act4 #b4 ,me*anization & automation = specialty crops ,! ,agricultural ,rese>*1 ,ext5sion1 & ,education ,re=m ,act ( #aiih 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gfja et seq47 is am5d$ by ins]t+ at ! end ! foll[+3 #dab;,a4 ,me*anization & automation = specialty crops 7a7 ,e/abli%m5t ,! ,secret>y %all e/abli% )9 ! ,dep>tm5t a /&-alone competitive rese>* & ext5sion grant program to increase ! competitiv5ess ( specialty crops 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ?r\gh ! advancem5t & accel]ation ( ! me*anization & automation1 includ+-- 7#a7 ,projects t create or improve co/-effective te*nologies to r$uce a specialty crop gr[]'s manual labor requirem5ts & increase ! effici5cy ( crop production1 res\rce managem5t1 h>ve/+1 process+1 po/-h>ve/ te*nologies1 & packag+ ?r\gh me*anization1 automation1 & o!r innovations & te*nologies4 7#b7 ,projects t increase adoption ( me*anization & automation te*nologies by3 7,a7 ,emphasiz+ adoption driv]s t c\ld include b are n limit$ to connectivity1 autonomy1 reliability1 durability1 9-field validation1 & co/-effectiv5ess4 7,b7 ,inve/+ & develop+ human capital to increase ! specialty crop sector's capacity to "w ) new te*nologies1 & to manage a m te*-focus$ f>m work=ce4 7#c7 ,projects t accel]ate automation & me*anization ?r\gh prototype developm5t1 9-field trial te/+1 ongo+ indu/ry engagem5t1 & rapid comm]cialization4 7b7 ,eligible entities ,! ,secret>y may c>ry out ! section ?r\gh eligible entities describ$ 9 subsection 7c74 7c7 ,eligible entities describ$ ,eligible entities describ$ 9 ?is subsection are-- 7#a7 ,f$]al ag5cies2 7#b7 national laboratories2 7#c7 colleges or univ]sities2 7#d7 rese>* in/itutions or organizations2 7#e7 private organizations or corporations2 7#f7 ,/ate agricultural exp]im5t /ations2 7#g7 individuals2 7#h7 organizations repres5t+ specialty crop gr[]s2 or 7#i7 gr\ps consi/+ ( #b or m entities describ$ 9 p>agraphs 7#a7 ?r\gh 7#h74 7d7 ,review ( ,proposals ,9 c>ry+ out ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all aw>d competitive grants on ! basis (-- 7#a7 a sci5tific pe] review conduct$ by a panel ( subject matt] exp]ts f ,f$]al ag5cies1 non-,f$]al entities1 & ! specialty crop indu/ry2 & 7#b7 a review & rank+ = m]it1 relevance1 & impact conduct$ by a panel ( specialty crop indu/ry repres5tatives = ! specific specialty crop4 7e7 ,consultation ,ea* fiscal ye>1 be=e conduct+ ! sci5tific pe] review describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#a7 ( subsection 7d7 & ! m]it & relevancy review describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b7 ( su* subsection1 ! ,secret>y %all consult ) ! specialty crops committee reg>d+ su* reviews4 ,! committee %all provide ! ,secret>y-- 7#a7 9 ! fir/ fiscal ye> 9 :i* t consultation occurs1 any recomm5dations = conduct+ su* reviews 9 su* fiscal ye>2 & 7#b7 9 any subsequ5t fiscal ye> 9 :i* su* consultation occurs-- 7,a7 an assessm5t ( ! proc$ures & objectives us$ by ! ,secret>y = su* reviews 9 ! previ\s fiscal ye>2 7,b7 any recomm5dations = su* reviews = ! curr5t fiscal ye>2 & 7,c7 any comm5ts on grants aw>d$ "u subsection 7d7 dur+ ! previ\s fiscal ye>4 7f7 ,report ,! ,secret>y %all submit to ! ,committee on ,agriculture ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry ( ! ,s5ate a report on-- 7#a7 ! results ( ! consultations ) ! specialty crops committee conduct$ "u subsection 7e72 7#b7 ! specialty crops committee's recomm5dations1 if any1 provid$ to ! ,secret>y dur+ su* consultations2 & 7#c7 ! specialty crops committee's review ( ! grants aw>d$ "u subsection 7d7 9 ! previ\s fiscal ye>4 7g7 ,adm9i/ration 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,) respect to grants aw>d$ "u ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all seek & accept proposals = grants4 7#b7 ,t]m ,! t]m ( a grant "u ?is section may n exce$ #aj ye>s4 7#c7 ,mat*+ requirem5t 7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,an entity receiv+ a grant "u ?is section %all provide non-,f$]al mat*+ funds 7includ+ funds f an agricultural commodity promotion1 rese>*1 & in=mation program7 equal to n less ?an #ae p]c5t ( ! am\nt ( ! grant4 7,b7 ,9-k9d support ,non-,f$]al mat*+ funds describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a7 may include 9-k9d support4 7,c7 ,waiv] ,! ,secret>y may waive ! mat*+ requirem5t "u subp>agraph 7,a74 7#d7 ,o!r conditions ,! ,secret>y may set su* o!r conditions on ! aw>d ( a grant "u ! program "u subsection 7a7 z ! ,secret>y det]m9es to be appropriate4 7h7 ,priorities ,9 mak+ grants "u ! program "u subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y %all provide a high] priority to projects t-- 7#a7 include proposals t address ! tra9+ or retra9+ ( f>m work]s to op]ate1 repair1 program or o!rwise ma9ta9 result+ automation solutions2 & 7#b7 include explicit me*anisms to communicate results to produc]s & ! public4 7i7 ,build+s & ,facilities ,funds made available "u ?is section %all n be us$ = ! con/ruction ( a new build+ or facility or ! acquisition1 expansion1 remodel+1 or alt]ation ( an exi/+ build+ or facility 7includ+ site grad+ & improvem5t1 & ar*itect fees74 7j7 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,specialty crop ,! t]m specialty crop has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 section #c ( ! ,specialty ,crops ,competitiv5ess ,act ( #bjjd 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #afba note2 ,public ,law #ajh-dfe74 7#b7 ,specialty crops committee ,! t]m specialty crops committee means ! committee e/abli%$ "u section #adjh;,a ( ! ,national ,agricultural ,rese>*1 ,ext5sion1 & ,tea*+ ,policy ,act ( #aigg 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cabc;a74 7#c7 ,program ,! t]m program means ! ,specialty ,crop ,me*anization & ,automation ,rese>* & ,developm5t ,program e/abli%$ 9 subsection 7a74 7k7 ,m&atory ,fund+ ,( ! funds ( ! ,commodity ,cr$it ,corporation1 ! ,secret>y %all use to c>ry out ?is section #bj1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjbd & ea* fiscal ye> !reaft]1 & %all rema9 available until exp5d$4 4